Wanghai Temple in Gaizhou

Wanghai Temple in Gaizhou

Wanghai Temple in Gaizhou is a cultural tourism attraction.

Wanghai Temple is located on Qinglong Mountain in Chentun Town, Gaizhou City. This is the site of the famous "Lama Ancient Cave," one of the Eight Scenic Spots of Xiongyue, where a stone temple called Wanghai Temple—also known as Lama Cave Temple—was built inside the cave.

The temple faces west toward the sea and is built from granite in a flush-gable style. It is three bays wide and three bays deep, with four octagonal front pillars. The eaves pillars are carved with regular script couplets. The upper couplet reads: “On Qinglong Mountain peak, clouds and rosy clouds shine, reflecting the solemn Dharma realm,” while the lower couplet reads: “In Wanghai Temple, moonlight over water illuminates the lively Zen spirit.” The central plaque above the temple door reads “Buddha’s Light Shines Everywhere,” with “Exemplar for All Ages” on the left and “Wondrous Response Beyond Compare” on the right. Other inscriptions on the stone pillars include: “Wherever the Zen mind reaches, one sees freedom,” and “When the wise eye opens, one beholds the Tathagata.” The tops, bases, and plinths of the pillars feature stone carvings such as peaches, pomegranates, and lotuses. The temple interior houses murals painted in fine brushwork, vivid and lifelike. Wanghai Temple was rebuilt in 1731 and underwent multiple renovations in 1878, 1892, and others, before being restored to its original appearance in 1992.

In 1983, Wanghai Temple was designated as a county-level cultural relics protection unit. In 1984, the Yingkou Municipal People's Government (Ying Zheng Fa [1984] No. 108) listed it as a municipal-level cultural relics protection unit. The cultural relics protection scope and construction control zone designated by the Yingkou Municipal People's Government (Ying Zheng Fa [1990] No. 38) are as follows: with Wanghai Temple at the center, an area extending 70 meters outward is the protected zone; the Qinglong Mountain Scenic Area and forested region are classified as Class I and Class II construction control zones.

Source: Municipal Bureau of Culture, Sports, News, and Broadcasting. Contributor: Dong Wenjie

Chentun Town: A township under the jurisdiction of Gaizhou City. Established as a township in 1958, converted to a commune in 1961, and reinstated as a township in 1984. Located in the southern part of the city, 37 kilometers from the municipal government, it covers an area of 74.4 square kilometers with a population of 21,000. The Wan (fu)–Xiong (yue) Highway passes through the town. It administers 15 village committees: Heping, Pujia Gou, Shangzao Yu, Xiazao Yu, Taiping Gou, Yang Dian, Shui Yu, Chentun, Yanjia Gou, Beiyan Zhai, Yiyong, Toutao Gou, Qinglong Yu, Sandao He, and Huangshao. Local enterprises are engaged in commerce, machinery processing, and granite mining. The main agricultural products are corn, rice, beans, with abundant production of apples, pears... More details about Chentun Town ++